U.S. President Joe Biden is the bravest leader on the planet. His whirlwind trip to Israel, a country in the midst of war, considerably strengthened U.S. support for Israel’s just and legitimate cause. His warm speeches, and the participation of administration officials in Israel’s war cabinet, are a first in the history of the Jewish state. But beyond the formidable bilateral friendship, the messages from the American president prove that Israel can count on him to ensure its security in the face of regional escalation, in the face of the great powers and against the forces of evil.
Yet at a time when the United Nations Security Council is trying to vote on a resolution to the detriment of the State of Israel, only the United States is willing to veto it. How can France align itself with Russia, China, and the Arab countries in this vote? Why didn’t France have the courage to support the American position or abstain? How can the double game of French President Emmanuel Macron be explained, who pronounces beautiful words of solidarity but hesitates to take action, such as visiting Israel as did his counterparts, the German chancellor or the British prime minister?
It is in times of distress that true friends appear. Israel appreciates very much U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s statement to Netanyahu, “We stand with Israel; Hamas should be called terrorists.”
Israel can understand the fears of Arab leaders, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and the Emirates regarding the Palestinian people, but how can France’s indifference be explained?
In this new war, Hamas is employing disinformation and fake news is again triumphant. Without a scruple, breaking the fundamental rules of journalism, the international press rushed to accuse Israel of having bombed a hospital in Gaza.
All the evidence supports Israel’s claim that an errant Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket was responsible for the carnage. Washington and London rejected Hamas’s assertions, while in Paris there was hesitation. Why put the credibility of a democratic country at stake? Why, as in the al-Dura affair of 2000, would a Western government prefer the version of Hamas terrorists? This is how to indirectly encourage terrorism, antisemitism and the delegitimization of the Jewish state. The shocking report was broadcast and rebroadcast on every channel on the planet and triggered waves of protest, hatred and violence worldwide.
In this new affair, too, disinformation, manipulation and lies are the tools of Palestinian leaders, to the anger and frustration of the Israeli authorities.
In reality, Islamist leaders are hardly concerned about freedom of the press, the laws of war or the fate of their Palestinian brothers. Moreover, no country in the Arab League is offering to welcome refugees from Gaza.
Today, the Palestinian version is always more credible in the eyes of certain journalists covering the Arab-Israeli conflict. Yet there is no doubt that the press in Israel is entirely free and the IDF’s information credible.
Al Jazeera non-grata
Al Jazeera, the Qatari propaganda channel of the Muslim Brotherhood, blindly supports Hamas and should not be accredited by the Israeli authorities. It does not meet the criteria of a legitimate foreign news organization. In Arabic and live, its reports are not always accurate and often truncated. This truth impairment was evident particularly during the Second Intifada in September 2000, the Second Iraq War in 2003 and the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria in 2011. Its collusion with Islamist terrorist groups and anti-American Arab regimes is also transparent and blatant. Yesterday, Al Jazeera’s heroes were Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Today, they are Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic State.
Don’t confuse Israel’s war with Hamas with other armed conflicts on the planet. There is no comparison to the devastating wars in Syria, Iraq, or Yemen, the wars led by NATO countries, or the one currently taking place in Ukraine.
The Israel Defense Forces fights Palestinian terrorism to protect defenseless civilians. The raids are pinpoint and accurate to avoid innocent deaths. The IDF is one of the few armies worldwide that thoroughly investigates every incident and unequivocally acknowledges mistakes made. Israeli soldiers and officers are sometimes indicted, something unheard of in Western armies.
Criticism is legitimate, but prejudice, misinformation and delegitimization are unacceptable.
Israel must tirelessly uphold its duty to reveal the whole truth about the conflict while denouncing the scourge of false propaganda and fake news.
In this new conflict, the people of Israel appreciate the exemplary conduct of IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari. With composure and wisdom, he informs the press and Israel’s public about the war’s progress. All of his information is precise and credible.
Israel is preparing to launch a large-scale military campaign against Hamas and attempt to rescue more than 200 hostages. This war will be long and painful. Israel must win it to ensure peace and security for all Israeli citizens. Israel’s people have no alternative or other country to live in.
Originally published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.